The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Volleyball Federation junior boys volleyball team got a big payback day on Sunday as they avenged a loss to Trinidad & Tobago in the round robin by pulling off a three-set sweep to clinch the bronze medal at the ninth CAZOVA Junior Men’s Championship at the Paul Chonchon Sports and Cultural Centre in Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

The Bahamas, coached by DeVince Smith and Lloyd Davis, won 26-24, 25-23 and 25-19 as team captain Rajahl Moxey led three players in double-figures with 16 points, three of which were blocks and two service aces, while Antonio Jennings tallied 13 and Kenton Dawkins had 10 in the 87 minute victory to secure their first medal since winning a silver in 2003 in Martinique.

Moxey admitted the match was a very competitive one which his team was eager to win as it meant a lot to their programme back home.

“After losing in the semifinals we were very disappointed and we went back and did our homework, went over the pros and cons of our previous matches and came with a plan which worked,” said Moxey on the tournament website.

Coach Smith, who noted that the victory means a lot to its youth development programme, said it was a very competitive match as his players were determined to get back at Trinidad & Tobago for handing the Bahamas its first match lost on Wednesday - also in three sets.

At the end of the tournament, which was won by Barbados over Curacao in five sets, Gauge Smith was named the best setter, while Kenton Dawkins was named the best blocker.

“We are proud of these young men and their accomplishments,” said federation president Joseph ‘Joe Mo’ Smith, who served as the team manager. “The Bahamas Volleyball Federation would like to thank all the corporate sponsors who made this journey possible especially the Ministry of Youth and Sports.”

The team left Guadeloupe on Monday but stayed the night over in French St Maarten. They are due to return home at the Lynden Pindling International Airport on American Airlines at 2:30pm today.

Although they are expected to be greeted on their arrival, the accolades have already started to pour in for the team.

“Congrats. Great job team,” said immediate past federation president Don Cornish.

Added men’s national coach Raymond Wilson: “I’m truly happy. This medal was very important. Congratulations to DeVince and his staff and to the leadership of the federation and to the individual award winners.”

The federation now switches its attention on two more tournaments next month.

The junior girls national team is slated to travel to the 3rd Cazovay Youth Girls Volleyball Championships, which is set to be held in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago, August 7-12.

This is the first time that the Bahamas will be participating in the tournament, which serves as the start of the qualification for the World Championships.

The Bahamas will be matched against teams from Barbados, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and the US Virgin Islands.

Then the senior men’s national team is slated to travel to French Saint Maarten August 9-12 to compete in the second round of the World Qualifying Tournament 2014. The Bahamas men will be playing out of Group I as they are matched against teams from French Saint Maarten, Barbados and St Lucia.

“We are asking once again for the support of the general public and corporate Bahamas,” Smith said.